Carnation plant named ‘CFPC Cheerful’

ABSTRACT

A new variety of carnation plant named ‘CFPC Cheerful’, having a compact form of plant with well presented bright red flowers.

Latin name of the genus and species: Botanical classification: Dianthus caryophyllus.

Variety denomination: The new carnation variety denomination is ‘CFPC Cheerful’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of hybrid carnation botanically known as Dianthus caryophyllus, and referred to by the cultivar name ‘CFPC Cheerful’. The new variety, identified as selection no. 070135, originated from a cross made by Roy Stahlhut in a controlled breeding program in Salinas, Calif. The female parent of the new variety is the unpatented selection number/variety known as 020533 and the male parent is the unpatented selection number/variety known as 020230. The new variety ‘CFPC Cheerful’ has been asexually reproduced by vegetative side shoot cuttings in Salinas, Calif. and the distinguishing characteristics are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

‘CFPC Cheerful’ is a potted spray-type carnation plant variety having a compact form of plant with well presented bright red flowers.

Comparison with Female Parent

Plants of the new carnation variety ‘CFPC Cheerful’ are similar to the female parent ‘020533’ in plant habit and growth rate. Under similar growing conditions in Salinas, Calif., under commercial practice, plants of the new carnation variety ‘CFPC Cheerful’ differed from plants of the female parent ‘020533’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. The new variety ‘CFPC Cheerful’ produces small bright red         flowers whereas the female parent ‘020533’ produces larger,         bright neon red flowers.     -   2. Plants of the new variety ‘CFPC Cheerful’ are taller than         plants of the female parent ‘020533’.

Comparison with Male Parent

Plants of the new carnation variety ‘CFPC Cheerful’ are similar to the male parent ‘020230’ in plant habit and growth rate. Under similar growing conditions in Salinas, Calif., under commercial practice, plants of the new carnation variety ‘CFPC Cheerful’ differed from plants of the male parent ‘020230’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. The new variety ‘CFPC Cheerful’ produces smaller bright red         flowers whereas the male parent ‘020230’ produces larger bright         red flowers.     -   2. The new variety ‘CFPC Cheerful’ produces smaller flower buds         than the male parent ‘020230’.

Comparison with Other Similar Varieties

Plants of the new carnation variety ‘CFPC Cheerful’ are similar to plants of the variety ‘CFPC Tiara’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,797) in plant habitat and growth rate. Under similar growing conditions, however, in Salinas, Calif., under commercial practice, plants of the new carnation variety ‘CFPC Cheerful’ differed from plants of ‘CFPC Tiara’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. ‘CFPC Cheerful’ produces smaller flower buds than ‘CFPC         Tiara’.     -   2. ‘CFPC Cheerful’ produces smaller flowers than ‘CFPC Tiara’.     -   3. ‘CFPC Cheerful’ produces more flowers than ‘CFPC Tiara’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATION

A typical specimen of the plant and flowers for the new carnation variety ‘CFPC Cheerful’ is shown in the accompanying photograph. The colors shown are as true as possible within the usual limits of this kind of illustration.

FIG. 1 is a whole plant view of the new variety ‘CFPC Cheerful’ grown in a pot. The plant shown in the illustration is 120 days from date of planting.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following description of the new carnation variety ‘CFPC Cheerful’ is of plants 120 days from planting grown in a commercial greenhouse in Salinas, Calif. The cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in the environment such as temperature, length of day and light intensity without any variance in genotype.

Plants of the new variety have been grown successfully under temperature conditions averaging about 18° C. at night and about 24° C. to 28° C. during the day under light conditions of about 14 hours. Plants are daylight neutral and flower throughout the year. Chemical growth regulators are not required for production. The new variety may be produced as a potted spray-type carnation. To produce a commercial product the plants may be pinched once with the center bud removed. Pinched plants are about 7 inches tall and about 7 inches in diameter. Flower diameter averages about 1½ inches with a crown of about ⅝ inches. Foliage is generally about 3½ inches long and about ⅜ inches at the widest point. The typical container size for commercial growth is 4½ inches.

It has been observed that the shelf life of the new variety is about 21 days with a time to first bud opening of about 15-16 weeks. The plant hardiness zone has not been determined. The commercial classification of the new variety is a potted spray-type.

The following description is with respect to a plant produced as a potted spray-type carnation. The plant and flower measurements and foliage size are established as an average using standard commercial cultural practices. In the description of this new variety, color values have been taken from The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.C.C.).

Plant

-   Height (inches): 7. -   Form: Herbaceous. -   Growing habit: Semi upright. -   Branching characteristics: 3-4 laterals per stem. -   Breaking action: 6 breaks per plant with strong straight stems. -   First appearance of color in buds: 101 days after planting. -   Vigor: Excellent. -   Shelf life: 21 days. -   Blooming habit: Spray type. -   Blooming season: Year round. -   Lastingness of blooms: About 10 days. -   Disease (susceptibility/resistance observed): Excellent resistance     to soil-borne diseases such as Fusarium oxysporum and F.     graminearium, and root rots such as damping off, water molds and     similar types, as are typical of carnations. -   Pest susceptibility/resistance: Not evaluated or observed. -   Drought and temperature susceptibility/resistance: Not evaluated or     observed. -   Mutation prone: No. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Side shoot cuttings.         -   Time to rooting.—18 days with soil temperatures of about             18° C. to 21° C.         -   Rooting habit.—Good fibrous system. -   Growth treatments or special conditions: Single pinch.

Foliage

-   Stem:     -   -   Length (inches).—4¾.         -   Diameter (inches).—⅛ (at base).         -   Texture.—Smooth.         -   Cross section.—Edged.         -   Color.—145 D internode. 145 D node. -   Number of leaves per lateral branch: 12. -   Arrangement of leaves: Bi-lateral along the stem.     -   -   Shape of leaf.—Long, narrow, lanceolate.         -   Size of leaf.—Width (inches): ⅜ Length (inches): 3½.         -   Leaf apex.—Acute.         -   Edge.—Smooth.         -   Base.—Smooth.         -   Aspect.—Elliptic.         -   Surface texture.—Top: smooth. Bottom: smooth. -   Leaf venation: Prominent mid-vein at underside. -   Leaf longitudinal axis: Recurved. -   Leaf cross section (upper side): Weakly concave. -   Leaf color:     -   -   Mature leaf, upper side.—137 A; under side: 137 A.         -   Young leaf, upper side.—137 B; under side: 137 B. -   Leaf waxy layer: Medium.

Flower

-   Flower appearance: Matte to shiny. -   Flower type: Semi-double. -   Flower profile of upper part of corolla: Convex. -   Flower profile of lower part of corolla: Flat. -   Flower shape: Dome shape. -   Number of blossom per branch: 5.     -   -   Depth of fully expanded blossoms (inches).—⅝.         -   Diameter of fully expanded blossoms (inches).—1½. -   Calyx:     -   -   Sepals number.—5.         -   Length (inches).—1⅛.         -   Width (inches).—⅜.         -   Color.—Outer side base: 145 B. outer side middle to tip:             143 A. inner side: 195 C.         -   Texture.—Smooth.         -   Appearance.—Matte with waxy bloom.         -   Shape.—Cylindrical. -   Flower petals:     -   -   Form/shape.—Fan shape.         -   Petal edge.—Edge type: crenate-dentate. width (inches):             1/16. depth (inches): 1/16.         -   Texture.—Smooth.         -   Appearance.—Matte-shiny.         -   Petal surface of blade.—Undulating.         -   Number per flower.—21-22.         -   Outer petals.—Length (inches): 1½ Width (inches): ⅞.         -   Inner petals.—Length (inches): 1⅜ Width (cm): ¾. -   Fragrance: Weak perfume. -   Flower bud (at onset of color):     -   -   Length (inches).—1⅛.         -   Diameter (inches).—⅜.         -   Form/shape.—Cylindrical. -   Flower color:     -   -   1. General tonality.—46 C.         -   2. Petals, upper surface.—46 C.         -   3. Petals, lower surface.—46 C.         -   4. Petals, edge.—46 C.         -   5 Petals, center.—46 C.         -   6. Early bud.—46 C. -   Petal macule (random spots): Absent. -   Flower progression with age: Good stability in color.

Reproductive Organs

-   Gynoecium: Pistillate.     -   -   Pistil number.—1.         -   Pistil length (inches).—1 1/16.         -   Stigma color.—White with red flush.         -   Stigma shape.—Filamentous.         -   Style color.—White with red flush.         -   Style length (inches).—¾.         -   Style number.—Three and four. -   Ovary:     -   -   Shape.—Ovoid.         -   Surface.—Smooth.         -   Color.—Base: 145 D. Body. 145 B. Apex. 145 B. -   Androecium: None produced. -   Fruit and seeds: None produced. 

1. A new and distinct variety of carnation plant, substantially as described and illustrated herein. 